Sources Guides list

Sources Guide: Race and Ethnic Issues

Societies and Associations

Personal papers

General collections

Wellcome archives

For material on health issues and diseases among populations of the non-European world, see relevant Sources Guides: East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, South Asia, Far East, Near and Middle East, Central America, South America, Caribbean, Medical Missionaries and Missionary Societies, Tropical Medicine, Malaria

On Jewish immigration to the UK as a result of Nazi persecutions, see Refugee Scientists and Medical Practitioners, and on the Jewish community more generally, Religion.

See also Sources Guide Slavery and Anti-Slavery

Researchers are also recommended to look at the Hospital Records Database, for the records of hospitals in areas where particular communities resided.

Further information about the materials mentioned below can be found on the Archives and Manuscripts Online Catalogue.

In some cases the full detailed catalogues of archive collections are not yet in this online database: hard copy versions are available in the Rare Materials Room of the Library and on request to archs+mss@wellcome.ac.uk

Societies and Associations

ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH SA/CMO
Correspondence and papers circulated with minutes includes items on medical arrangements for immigrants and related questions of public health administration, 1960s; and Dr G Ramage's files as the ACMOH representative on the County Councils Association Health and Welfare Committee include 2 on immigration, 1962-72

BEIT MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIPS SA/BMF
In 1945 the Deed of Foundation of this Trust which awarded fellowships for medical research was altered so that they were open to any graduate of a university within the British Empire, whether of European descent or not; file on 'abolition of the colour bar of candidates', 1944, and files on individuals awarded Fellowships, from 1945 Some files are closed

BRITISH SOCIAL HYGIENE COUNCIL (formerly NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR COMBATTING VENEREAL DISEASES) SA/BSH
This had a general concern for Imperial fitness in its activities and policies; the Port Welfare Committee in particular discussed questions to do with welfare of Indian and Colonial seamen, 1930s-40s

EUGENICS SOCIETY SA/EUG
A few files on immigration and immigrants, c. 1920s-60s, also on inter-racial marriage, 1920, though these were not among its primary concerns. Also some files on eugenic organisations in other countries, pedigrees and other literature compiled by the American Eugenics Society and US eugenists. Also correspondence with some individuals with strong views on 'racial purity', and responses to Nazi 'racial hygiene' policies
These archives are available only with the permission of the Galton Institute
PLEASE NOTE: this collection is being digitised and parts of it will be unavailable during the process. Check the schedule for further information

FAMILY PLANNING ASSOCIATION SA/FPA
Debate within the Association during the 1950s about providing contraception to Caribbean women in stable partnerships but not formally married. Leaflets in languages of various ethnic communities of Britain, 1960s-70s

GENETIC ALLIANCE UK SA/GIG

Founded to give a voice to those people affected by genetic conditions; minutes, annual reports, newsletters and other publications, 1989-2010, includes material on their ethnic minority project on genetic conditions prevalent in particular ethnic groups

MEDICAL WOMEN'S FEDERATION SA/MWF
One file on medical screening of Irish immigrants, 1950s

PATIENTS’ ASSOCIATION SA/PAT/C/11

One file relating to the Community Health Group for Ethnic Minorities, 1982-3

SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH/ SOCIETY OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE/ SOCIETY OF PUBLIC HEALTH (1856-1997) SA/SMO
One file on medical examination of immigrants, 1960s, in section L; articles in the Society’s journal Public Health covering various aspects of health amongst ethnic communities in UK; paper on the health needs of gypsies in the 1980s (J.3/108)

Personal papers

Robina ADDIS PP/ADD
Psychiatric social worker interested in transcultural issues: involved in developing community care services in Nigeria; in UK, involved in general mental health and welfare services and child guidance, adoption, etc, at a time when issues of ethnicity were becoming a topic of concern, 1960s-70s

CP BLACKER PP/CPB
(General Secretary of the Eugenics Society, 1930-1952)
Notes, draft and published article on 'eugenic' experiments performed in German concentration camps, 1940s-50s; some writings, reviews, and correspondence deal with issues around immigration and allied topics, 1950s-60s; correspondence with JR Baker about his book on Race (1974)

Stanley George BROWNE WTI/SGB

Leprologist, medical missionary: material on race, culture, ethnic issues and effects of colonialism in letters home from Yakusu, Belgian Congo, 1930s-50s; typescript by Browne entitled 'Belgian Congo and Ruanda-Urundi' includes chapter on “Racial characteristics; impact of civilization”, c.1946

Sir James CANTLIE MS.1499
Collection of questionnaire responses relating to the life history of Eurasian "half-castes", 1888: Cantlie was one of many respondents drawn from the western fringes of the Pacific (China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand)

Francis CRICK PP/CRI
File containing material on, and relating to, Arthur Jensen’s work on the relationship between race and intelligence, 1968-75, and other material relating to Jensen’s theories

Henry Victor DICKS PP/HVD
Papers by him on the psychology of race prejudice, 1950s-70s

Professor Hans GRÜNEBERG PP/GRU
As well as correspondence with Jewish organisations, some relating to support for anti-apartheid in South Africa and similar campaigns, 1950s-70s

Thomas HODGKIN PP/HO
The papers of this Quaker physician and philanthropist reflect his active engagement in the anti-slavery movement of the early C19th, his concerns over colonisation and the protection of native populations, and the development of ethnology, 1820s-60s

Sir Peter MEDAWAR PP/PBM
A Trustee of the Runnymede Trust (independent research and policy agency addressing itself specifically to the development of a successful multi-ethnic society, aiming to provide information, research and advice and promote the value of diversity), 1970s-80s: correspondence and papers concerning

Sir Alan Sterling PARKES PP/ASP
Files relating to joint Galton Foundation/Biosocial Society Symposium, 1982, on the Biosocial Problems of Ethnic Minorities, 1980-2

Frederick PARKES WEBER PP/FPW
One bundle of assorted materials on 'Race climate environment occupation and bodily build in relation to Life Assurance', 1910-28; also material on genetic and other rare disorders, 1890s-1950s, includes some more frequent in particular ethnic groups

Sir William Drummond PATON PP/WDP/G.1/2/3
File as Rhodes Trustee regarding racial restrictions on eligibility to Rhodes Scholarships in South Africa, 1972–4

Smaller collections

'GP CONSULTATIONS AND CONCEPTS OF ILLNESS: ASIAN WOMEN IN BRISTOL' GC/210
Anonymised questionnaires and related material generated by this sociological study, 1986-7

Sir Robert MCCARRISON GC/205
Posters illustrating the influence of different dietary practices on the physique and health generally of Indian 'races' [?1930s]

Garnet Joseph WOLSELEY, Field Marshal, 1st Viscount Wolseley MS.7474
Letters on temperance issues, including re conference on "Native Races and the Liquor Traffic", c.1881-1901

Wellcome archives

The archives of the Historical Medical Museum, 1898-1985, WA/HMM, include various material on 'races of the Empire' and 'racial types', and Sir Henry Wellcome's personal papers, 1870-1936, WA/HSW, contain material relating to his interest in Native Americans

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